


Life is life

by enterprisecat



Series: Never Enough Verse [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: And he gets multiple hugs, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, But not always, Christmas, Coping, Dubious Science, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Married Life, Morgan is a perfect combination of her parents, Parent Tony Stark, Pepper is Badass, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Protective Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Slice of Life, Tags will be updated, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric, Tony is kind of coping, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, family times, his family is the most important part of his life, vaguely referenced alcoholism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-02-27 07:06:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18734083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enterprisecat/pseuds/enterprisecat
Summary: Life after wielding the Infinity Stones is harder but more precious than ever in its vulnerability and Tony is determined to get the best out of it, and even if he's sometimes failing his family is always there.Days (and nights) from Tony Stark's life. A direct, albeit non-chronological continuation of Too much, never enough.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Dear Readers, I couldn't stay away. Here comes the continuation - a series of pictures from a life of a hero and a survivor.  
> Starting with a conversation with Peter Parker. 
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy!

"Hey, kiddo," Peter high hives Morgan who opened the door for him. "What your mom told you about opening the door?"

"That I shouldn't open them for strangers," Morgan says matter of factly. Her hair are messy; Pepper has gone for a business trip and Tony is virtually useless in fixing little girls hair. Peter suspects he'd be the same even with two hands at his disposal.

"And you opened the door anyway," Peter says disapprovingly. Morgan squints at him for a moment.

"I knew it was you," she says finally, sounding exactly like Pepper explaining Tony why it is a bad idea. Peter sighs. He can understand why Pepper always wins such arguments.

"Where's your dad?"

"Working," Morgan grins. "And I am working too!"

Sure enough, there's lots of stuff all over the kitchen table, starting with a doll head and ending with colorful sheets of paper and some non-toxic glue. Tony usually doesn't work when Pepper is away, so he must have head an Eureka moment and made sure Morgan has something to do in the meantime. Peter checks the table out of habit - that kiddo has amazing abilities in acquiring forbidden things - but it doesn't seem anything dangerous is there. 

The garage door is open.

“Hey, kid,” Tony says without turning back. He is focused entirely on a design in front of him - not one of his, Peter notices it immediately. It lacks the elegance and finesse that Peter has learnt to identify with Tony’s designs. He notices another small design right next to it but Tony minimizes it before he can take a better look.

“Hello, Mr. Stark,” he responds, again feeling the joy of being able to say that out aloud. Such a simple thing, yet still makes him happy, over two months later.

Tony moves away from the screens and gives him one of the indescribable looks that can mean anything; he pauses, seeing Peter’s face.

“Okay, what’s wrong, spill it,” he says and Peter realizes he is staring, unblinkingly, unable to lose Tony from his view.

“Uh…”

_ Nothing, all is good, _ he wants to say but those words don’t want to leave his mouth and Peter sighs, knowing that  they are a big fat lie.

Peter is not okay. 

He’s been erased for five years from existence to be brought back right in time for a battle. He’s witnessed his mentor almost dying and helped taking care of him in his weakest and most vulnerable, and still assisted him with dealing with all the new and scary limitations.

The initial happiness of getting Tony back, while still very much there, is no longer enough to get him going. The world has changed, in ways that Peter is not always able to fully grasp and no matter how hard he tries he seems not to be able to catch up.

The realization comes like a crashing wave, a real tsunami of emotions, born from the anxiety, a constant companion of his for the last couple of weeks. Peter couldn’t understand where it is coming from - the world is in the process of being fixed, those who were gone are back…

“Peter,” Tony appears right in front of him, with concerned look and shit, Peter didn’t want to worry him. There’s so many things Tony is worried about, he doesn’t need another item on the list and Peter has promised himself he’s gonna take care of him.

“Peter,” Tony repeats anxiously. “Kid, you with me?”

He reaches out with his right hand only to let it fall, a flick of annoyance in his eyes, as he does the same with his left one. 

Peter hesitates for a moment. He doesn’t want to come undone but Tony is already worried and will not allow him to sweep the topic under a carpet, so he opts for the full body hug instead, their first one after the battle. Tony feels frail and thin under Peter’s touch, so Peter consciously holds back his strength, makes sure not to crush him.

“I’m so happy you’re alive,” he whispers, a sentiment not voiced before.

Tony laughs shortly but it sounds suspiciously wet. 

“I know kid, I know,” he answers softly and tightens the one-hand embrace. “When you went through one of those portals… I should have told you that sooner, actually, it’s just… Kid, when you appeared and helped me up I was the happiest man alive, I finally had all I needed in my life, one puzzle that was missing for five years was back in the game. That’s you, by the way. You’re the puzzle. In case you haven’t understood the metaphor which I’m sure you did.”

Tony clears his throat, stopping the verbal diarrhea, and takes a step back, his hand still staying on Peter’s arm.

“What I’m trying to say, it’s that I need you, like I need Morgan and I need to know that you’re good, which you apparently not, so now we’re gonna sit down and you’re gonna tell me all that’s going on. No omissions, no half-truths, I don’t care if it hurts.”

His brown eyes are pleading and Peter understands that they won’t leave this room unless he actually confesses all that is bothering him. 

“Okay,” Tony pushes a stool toward him. “Sit down and talk.”

Peter sits down slowly. Tony has managed to lock the screen in the meantime, his usual screen lock,a  picture of Ford Flathead Roadster replaced with a beautiful shot of Pepper and Morgan over the lake. Pepper is wearing a modest but breathtaking white dress and Morgan is just a toddler, giving the camera a happy smile with some of the teeth still missing, and with a pang Peter realizes it’s shot from their wedding day. 

Tony follows his gaze and smiles, a real happy smile.

“She looked so amazing. I can show you the picture if you want, we have a full album created,” he says and Peter thinks he would love to, that he’ll never grow tired of seeing the whole Stark family happy and carefree. 

“So,” Tony prompts, sitting in front of Peter. His AC/DC shirt is a little loose; Peter frowns - it’s the first time since Tony has left the hospital bed that he’s seeing him in short sleeves. For the past weeks Tony was draping himself in everything long-sleeved, reaching the point when he was wearing a sweater in August. 

Peter tries not to stare but his gaze keeps coming back to the scarred skin of Tony’s right hand and the smooth ending of the stump. The scars on hand are much worse more prominent than on neck and face and Peter realizes that the seriousness of then is dependent on the proximity to the Infinity Stones. 

Tony clears his throat and Peter jumps.

“Sorry! I wasn’t staring, I mean,” he meets Tony’s raised eyebrow and gives up. “I was staring. I’m sorry, I just, you were, I mean it was… covered?” he finishes lamely and feels that it might be a good time to vanish into thin air. He promised himself to protect Tony, help him and here he is, first worrying him and now bringing his attention to the scars, as if Tony wasn’t hyperware of them anyway. 

Tony sighs, tracing the scars on his hand with fingers.

“Pepper told me not to be ridiculous and dress for the weather,” he explains quietly. “Strangely enough I feel better this way,” he admits in an afterthought. “And I don’t mind you looking, I keep looking at them to be honest, I wake up in the morning and just…”

He shakes his head as if to clear it and looks at Peter.

“You’re deflecting,” he accuses. “Don’t use my tactic on me, you’re never going to win. Spill.”

Peter moves anxiously in his seat.

“You know how five years has passed?” he says, feeling foolish. “Like, people were born and other people died and the whole world was moving and changing, some new things were invented and other things were forgotten, people were mourning their lost ones but also moved on, because that’s what you do in the end, in order to live and…” he pauses for a moment, shaking his head. He’s already explained Tony how those five years felt for him but those were facts only; explaining how it felt is much harder. 

“For me, it was just a couple of minutes,” he continues quietly. “I didn’t even really get scared or become desperate or anything really, I mean I was terrified when I felt the Snap but once I was gone, it was just, I wasn’t sure what’s going on, I wasn’t alive but I wasn’t dead either but I was there. I mean, like, I could feel my body and the bruises and all of that and I started wondering but before I was able to get anxious doctor Strange simply appeared in front of me and said that I need to get ready because you need us, and then there was you, and the gauntlet, and Thanos, and then you did the Snap, and... “ Peter stops to actually breathe while Tony doesn’t take his eyes from him, observing him in silence. 

“I didn’t really have time to think because you were dying and then I didn’t want to think, so I was focusing on you and Morgan, and Pepper, I mean Mrs. Stark, your wife… Why I am… Nevermind, so yeah. I was just happy that almost everyone is there so I was pushing those thoughts away and I hoped I won’t need to, to take care of them.”

Peter feels winded, as if he was running for the last couple of hours. 

Tony waits for a moment, before understanding that Peter has finished.

“You mean,” he stops for a second, wondering, going through everything Peter has told him. “You are lost in this new world around you.”

The relief that washes over Peter is immense. He was trying to recognize and name his feelings for a couple of days already, to understand the reason for being anxious and Tony just given him a perfect term to describe everything he is dealing with.

“Yes! Like, I was gone for five minutes and I came back to the world where you are married, and have a kid, where I’m going to schools with people born five years after me, where every time I want to write a date I make a mistake and…” Peter stops. “Oh God, it sounded awful, didn’t it? I love living in the world where you are married and have a kid, it’s like the greatest thing ever!”

Tony laughs shortly. “Kid, I know, don’t worry about that.”

His eyes are serious though, and Peter knows he’s being observed very carefully and that this observation will last until Tony is sure he’s fine and managing. Somehow this thought is reassuring. 

Tony stands up, loosing his balance for just a second. Peter forces himself not to move from his seat. For the past few weeks Tony started to react to any assistance with increasing annoyance, up to the point where Pepper asked everyone to let him stumble as long as they don’t let him fall.

_ Tony hates feeling weak, she said sadly, and the stronger he gets the more angry he is at his body and those new limitations. _

Peter swallows nervously but Tony is already in the move. He grabs Peter’s arm, either to reassure him or to actually stay upright. Could be both. 

“Listen,” he says softly. “I don’t know how to deal with something like that, as much as I wish just to take away the anxiety, so…” he takes a deep breath, “Pepper was nagging me to tell you that for a long time now, I just didn’t know if really should. You know that we did a time heist, got all the stones, Bruce did the reversal Snap, yada, yada, here we are today. And you know that I cracked the possible usage of quantum realm for actual time travel. The thing is that… I almost didn’t. I told them I won’t do that, Steve, Scott and… Nat.” The last name he says softer and stays silent for a moment. “Anyway, I told them that and I was planning on keeping my word. Why would I risk my family, right?”

He looks at Peter, a sad smile on his face.

“Remember when you broke that ferry and I took away your suit? What I told you that day, about your death being on me… I meant it, kid. I had practically everything I could dream of, my love, my two best friends all survived the fucking Thanos, I was tired and I wanted never to go back, but I couldn’t, not really. Pepper knew it, I think, the whole time, that there will be a moment when those beautiful times end and I’m no longer able to stop. I think that deep down I knew it too. How could I truly stop if there was still a chance to get you back?”

Peter feels as if someone had just throw him on a wall, disoriented and confused.

“Are you saying, do you mean. You did it for me?” His voice reaches way too high octave but he doesn’t care because Tony Stark just admitted he invented time travel for one else than Peter Parker. 

“The rest,” Tony makes a wide gesture. “The Snap I mean. It surprised me, honestly, wasn’t planning to… but yeah, the time travel part, that was for you kid. I couldn’t think about all those lost lives but there was one life I couldn’t stop thinking about. Yours.” Tony puts his fingers to Peter’s chest. “So if you can, don’t do anything stupid. Basically don’t do anything I would do. Or anything I wouldn’t do. As you already know it leaves this little grey area in which you can operate.”

Peter laughs, a joyful carefree, sound, surprising himself. The heavy stone, laying on his heart for the past week is still there, but with Tony Stark - anything is possible.

  
  



	2. Just what you want to be/ You will be in the end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony Stark is very much alive. Too bad that the world has different ideas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, dear Readers. It got so much longer and went into completely different direction than originally planned. The murials in this chapter are quite obviously inspired by the Spider- Man: Far From Home trailer. If you haven't seen it, watch it!   
> Chapter title taken from "Nights in White Satin"

The tablet lands on the floor. For the fifth time in the last 43 minutes. Not that Tony is counting. He just… noticing.

This time the screen cracks, just a small scratch on the otherwise smooth surface; Tony notices that as he leans down to pick it up and somehow it feels like the final blow. His left hand is aching as if he was doing some heavy-lifting with it, his right hand is not only useless but also he can feel a phantom pain forming in his brain; the no longer existing fingers are numb and heavy, and way too hot.

Just perfect.

Tony groans and sits down on the floor.

He tries to flex his fingers on the right hand, realizes the futility of this task and groans once again.

Pepper is away, has left to deal with company matters 8 days and 3 hours ago; she didn’t want to do that and Tony had to practically throw her from the house to force her to leave him and make sure his legacy and her kingdom will not fall apart. She will call him in the evening, after all the meetings for the day are over, give him a full report and bitch about uselessness of the executive board. They even may have a short round of phone sex afterwards, Pepper says it helps her sleep after dealing with people and their weird decisions for the whole day. 

He misses her like crazy, after having her 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for almost three months.

Tony rubs his right eye - there’s this almost constant feeling of having sand in it - and checks his phone. 

Peter and MJ swung by this morning and took Morgan for a little trip to the zoo. Peter tried to persuade him into going ever since the idea was born but Tony declined each time.

He claimed to have some ideas to be checked but in reality the idea of facing the world, showing his face, revealing his disability… It scares him shitless. 

He takes another look on a picture of Morgan petting an elephant’s trunk with a look of complete bliss on her face. Peter has sent it to him a little over an hour ago and Tony stifles the urge to call them and check if everything is fine. 

He’s alone in the house for the first time since fighting Thanos.

“FRIDAY,” he says, a little desperately. “Play ‘Paranoid’ by Black Sabbath.”

“Sure thing, boss,” FRIDAY responds smoothly. 

He has enough after few first guitar riffs.

“Pause it,” he requests from the floor. FRIDAY obeys without a single comment. 

The silence feels overwhelming.

“Play it again,” Tony murmurs. “Volume up by 50%.”

“Boss, are you okay?” Tony can hear worried notes in FRIDAY’s voice and has a fleeting moment of pride. “Should I call Mrs. Stark?”

“No!” it comes out a little louder than Tony expected but he cannot have Pepper worrying about him when she’s dealing with the future of Stark Industries. She needs a clean head and if Tony is a little lost right now, that’s nothing. He’ll deal with it. 

And if not, then he’ll speak with Pepper when she’s back.

 

_ Think I'll lose my mind _

_ If I don't find something to pacify _

 

Ozzy Osbourne sings as Tony stands up, abandoning the tablet on the floor. 

“FRIDAY” Tony says through the music. “Create a new destination folder, call it ‘Helpful hand’. Gather all the bionic arms designs there, describe them as resources.”

“What is the level of permissions?” FRIDAY asks as a the new folder appears on one of the screens. 

Tony is silent for a moment. He feels this unreasonable urge to be the only person with access to it but he’s promised Pepper long time ago that he won’t be keeping his projects in secret from her. 

“Pepper and I.” He says finally.

He gestures at the screen to open the first of the most promising designs he was able to get a hold of and grimaces. His muscles are sore and the design opens already enlarged - the precision of his gestures is way off when using left hand. 

Tony sighs.

He can, theoretically, use voice commands only but he’s a kinetic person. Moving, tinkering with objects, even the virtual ones, is a part of what he is and how he thinks and works. 

“FRIDAY,” he calls out, defeated. “Turn off the enlargement, I need to see it in the 100% of the size. And change the music, play something from Pepper’s playlist.”

Much gentler sounds of ‘Nights in White Satin’ fill the room.

Tony relaxes minutely and takes a deep breath as he imagines Pepper listening to the song as she lays in a hotel room, late in the evening.

“Okay, what we’ve got here…”

Two hours later Tony’s brain is swirling with the images of bionic arms designs and Pepper’s ‘evening’ playlist starts playing for the third time. 

He’s ready to start working on an early design of his own when FRIDAY speaks.

“You should see this, boss,” she puts an article on one of the side screens. Tony squints at it, for a moment not realizing what he’s looking at it.

 

**TONY STARK DEAD?!**

 

_ Newest reports seem to indicated that the beloved Iron Man, the alter- ego of the owner of Stark Industries didn’t survive the final battle with Thanos, despite the early rumors. Stark’s wife, the company’s CEO, was seen recently in Stark Industries headquarters. She refused providing any comments on the situation of the company but reliable witnesses are claiming that the process of transferring ownership of the company has been initialized during those meetings. _

_ Stark did not make any public appearance, nor was seen in public since the battle. _

 

Tony groans. That’s exactly what Pepper needs now, as she fights with the board and the fact the lost for last five years employees reappeared on Earth in dire need for employment. 

He rests his head on left hand, while FRIDAY conducts a search of any further articles about his presumed death. Other articles are popping up like mushrooms, with one claiming that they have a witness of the burial ceremony, ready to provide all the details. 

“You are a dead man, boss” FRIDAY announces. “Should I contact Mrs. Stark?”

Tony rubs his eyes. He feels tired beyond imagination.

“Yes,” he confirms with a sigh. “Make sure Pepper knows about all important details.”

He comes upstairs and checks a couple of suits. As expected, none of them fits him well enough to be worn during a potential press conference. He looks ridiculously in them, as if he was wearing his older brother’s clothes in a cheap mockery. 

He’s lucky that they decided to buy this house; its secluded location made it harder for the paparazzi in the first wave of interest after original conflict with Thanos five years ago, and both he and Pepper made sure not to be visible in the following years. Even Pepper’s pregnancy was nothing more but a rumour that appeared just before Morgan’s birth and was soon changed into a short official statement. 

Tony catches himself crumpling the right sleeve of the jacket he’s holding and puts the suit away in the wardrobe. 

“You have an incoming call,” FRIDAY announces. “From Peter.”

“Patch him through the bedroom,” Tony asks and clears his throat.

“Hey, kid,” he says, forcing himself to sound much calmer than ge feels. “What’s up? When you’re coming back?”

“Hey, Mr. Stark,” Peter answers, a strange note in his voice, making Tony immediately feel anxious. “We’re coming back now, just MJ saw something we think you should see it too, she’s sending you the pictures right now…”

Tony hears MJ’s voice in the background, “Yeah, my Internet connection sucks, so, wait a second, yes. He should have it now.”

“Can you see it, Mr. Stark?” Peter comes back to him. 

“Wait a second,” Tony stands up, heavily. Pepper asked specifically not to have any screens available in the bedroom when Tony was designing the new system for FRIDAY and he obliged. 

“FRIDAY, show me the picture miss Jones has sent me,” he says as soon as he is in Pepper’s home office. 

“What…” Tony freezes. 

The pictures are showing a huge mural with Iron Man, painted on a wall of one of the houses in NY. There are flowers and candles beneath it, quite a lot of them. Tony flips through the pictures, a mix of emotions raising in his chest, making him feel a strange metallic taste on the back of his throat. 

“FRIDAY, find me more info about that, who, why, when. Now.”

“I think it was painted to honor you,” Peter says quietly. “Mr. Stark are you there?”

Tony wants to fold into himself. He’s not ready to step into the light, even if only for moments. He doesn’t want for the world to see him as he is now - broken in so many ways, still healing. It’s too private, too personal to be shown to the public.

And, the most of all, he doesn’t want to be asked if he’s still the Iron Man. It’s a question even he didn’t ask himself, not yet, but will be asked as soon there are journalists around him. 

“Tony? Tony?!” Peter sounds a little panicked. 

“Yes, I’m here, I’m fine,” Tony says automatically. He takes a deep breath. “By the way, why on Earth the only time you address me with my first name is when you’re worried about me?”

It has the aimed result, as Peter chuckles with relief.

“We’ll be home soon,” he reassures before ending the call. 

Tony forwards the photos to Pepper as well as links FRIDAY have found. Apparently, murals, graffiti and other forms of street art begun appearing around two weeks ago. More or less in the same time, when Tony’s involvement in defeating Thanos was finally officially confirmed to the public. 

There are websites, too, with wishes and thank you notes. People are arguing over the way Thanos was defeated, and Tony’s presumed death is amongst one of the most popular topics. 

During half an hour Tony learns that he looks like Darth Vader now and lives in the Iron Man suit. Alternatively, he’s deep in a coma, on a different planet, he had a plastic surgery and lives in NY undisturbed by anyone… Or simply rests six feet underground in an anonymous grave.

Pepper calls him the same moment Morgan arrives with Peter and MJ, bringing still hot pizza with them. He plants a kiss on the top of Morgan’s head and tells them to eat without him, promising that they go through the pictures in the evening. 

“Hey, Tony” Pepper says, sounding tired and resigned.

“Hey, honey,” Tony leaves the house and goes to the lake, the grass soft under his bare feet. It’s getting easier every day, walking without taking a break every few minutes.

“Based on your voice,” Tony continues slowly, “you knew about the murals and stuff.”

It’s more of a wild guess, but Tony knows that their PR Team wouldn’t let a thing like that go past them. And if the PR Team knows, then Pepper knows as well. 

“Yes,” Pepper confirms with a sigh. “I didn’t know how to tell you that, and then I had to go and didn’t want to do it just before leaving you alone. How are you feeling?”

Tony is silent for a moment. He knows Pepper wanted to protect him, that she is as lost as he is, maybe even more - she’s the one burdened with taking care of him after all. 

“It’s… unexpected,” he says finally. The water from lake is pleasantly cool in this humid afternoon. Pepper seems to know how much of an understatement his sentence was as she hums gently in agreement and waits. Silence has always worked wonders in making Tony talk. 

“Pepper…” Tony hesitates. He was supposed not to worry her, but he cannot lie to her; not only because she will see right through it, but because he’s long past that. He might omit some things but an outright lie? That’s impossible. 

“I’m not ready to go there and speak with the press,” he says quietly. “It’s not enough time for me to fully… to accept the price, the changes. I don’t want the world to see it and I’m afraid they will see right through my bullshit, this time, but it’s crazy, people are mourning, and thanking me, and I feel I should… I don’t know, acknowledge it? Make sure that they know I’m alive and the only way to do that is to actual show myself in public and if I do that, then I need to make a statement about Stark Industries, so in the end I need to make a press conference, and even if no questions are allowed, there will be questions.”

He can almost hear Pepper’s sad smile.

“They will ask you if you’re Iron Man, after all that happened,” her voice is soft. “If you’re going to be the hero when another threats come.”

“Yes,” Tony hears strange voices in the background and realizes Pepper is outside.

_ Mrs. Stark! Are you planning on having an official statement… _

“I need to go, Tony,” Pepper whispers. “I’ll call you in the evening.”

The call ends before he can say anything more. 

 

***

 

Tony fixes his tie for the countless time, knowing that the moment Pepper enters the room she fixes it again for him, this time making it look presentable. He feels nauseated and sweaty but one look in the mirror tells him it’s practically impossible to notice; he has years of practice in making public appearances while hungover out of his mind. At least he’s not likely to be dry heaving in the middle of the press conference. 

He was at his lowest then. Or at the highest from the drinking problem perspective. 

The new suit is making miracles for his body, covering the fact that’s still suffering the aftereffects of huge amounts of gamma radiation and making him look healthier and stronger than he actually feels. The scars on his face and neck are make up free, they cannot be covered anyway, not in a satisfying way. His right eye is bloodshot, again, but that will be noticeable only on close-ups. He’s allowed to look a little bit sick after defeating Thanos, after all. 

“We’re going out in five minutes,” Pepper finally appears in the room and stops to take a look at him. “You look amazing,” she says with a smile and Tony understands the unspoken:  _ you look like you did before.  _

They decided that the press conference needs to take place as soon as possible when the stock prices started falling down. It was to be expected - Tony’s presumed death was bound to affect them but it meant he couldn’t let himself lay down in the shadows anymore.

Even entering the building felt weird, in a wrong way. While he still represented the company in the outside world, taking care of all the things that did not require Pepper’s presence as the CEO of the company, he rarely set his foot in the Stark Industries headquarters. Even the executive board preferred it that way after Tony brought a 6 months old at that time Morgan with him. For reasons never uncovered she projectile vomited on the table and all the documents laying there, subsequently finishing the meeting in the record winning twenty minutes.  

The sheer amount of journalists has exceed their expectations and there are also people gathering in front of the building, wanting to see Iron Man walking and breathing. As much as he dreads the idea, Tony has already agreed to leave the building through the main gate and let people see him. At least that might put an end to all the crazy ideas about his fate. 

Pepper embraces him, very gently and gives him a peck on the right temple. She’s in her CEO mode, dressed all in black, no detail out of place. Tony still feels in awe looking at her, after all those years together. 

“Just stick to the cards this time, will you?” she says with a slight tease and Tony smiles, part of the tension disappearing. He’s done it so many times before, even after Afghanistan when all he wanted to do was to drink himself unconscious. He can do it now.

Murmur goes through the crowd as he goes through the door. Tony isn’t sure if it’s a reaction to the scars, the stump, or maybe people genuinely thought he didn’t make it through.

He takes a long look on the crowd, letting himself gain more composure while at the same time giving the journalist a chance to take photos. He doesn’t recognize a single person; God, it’s been a long time since he’s done it. 

“Hello,” he lets himself lean on the podium, his jacket unbuttoned; just a pinch of famous Stark carelessness. “Welcome everyone, and, before anyone asks, I am alive,” he pauses for a moment. Small laughs come from the audience. Good. “Though in a couple of hours you may read stories about life-model decoy of Tony Stark that attended the press conference.” It’s not on his cards and he can see Pepper’s slight movement with a corner of his eye. More people laugh this time. 

He clears his throat.

“I haven’t done it in years, so if you allow me to stick to the cards,” he gives them his most charming grin, surprising himself. Looks like the showman in him has survived after all. “In the face of recent events, important questions were raised about future of Stark Industries, mainly its ownership. As you all know, rumors about my death were spread, which directly affected my company. I want to assure you that I’m not going anywhere, anytime soon.” He takes another long look on the audience. The silence is almost palpable. 

“However, my wife as the CEO of the company and I as the sole owner decided that some changes are to be made. As Mrs. Stark countless time showed that she is the most capable CEO in the history of the company and ensured its smooth and successful transition the decision was made to split the ownership of the company between the two of us.”

There’s a murmur in the crowd now.

“Mr. Stark are you planning on continuing your representative role for the company?” one of the journalist doesn’t seem the have the patience to wait for the questions time.

Tony hesitates for a second and turns to Pepper, just a little bit. She nods her head slightly.

“Excellent question,” Tony continues smoothly. “My role in the company has not changed and will not change in the years to come. The ownership split should be finalized until January next year.”

This time he turn to Pepper without hiding that fact, her cue to step in.

“In the upcoming weeks you will be invited to our usual ‘What the future brings’ meeting of the year. We decided to make it earlier this year as there are several events we need to address in our company’s policy.” Pepper’s face remains serious and she’s standing a step away from him, to ensure he won’t get too handsy. She checks her watch.

“We have ten minutes for questions now,” she announces and Tony braces himself.

“Mr. Stark, how did you kill Thanos?” the journalist is young. Tony wonders vaguely which YouTube channel he represents as he swallows the strangely thick saliva. 

“We had a powerful artifact at our hands. Powerful enough to erase Thanos from existence,” he says slowly. The gathered crowd doesn’t need to know that he essentially followed Thanos’s steps in committing a genocide, albeit on a smaller scale. Pepper moves closer to him, her hand brushing against his.

“Are your injuries caused by this artifact?”

“Yes,” Tony confirms simply but doesn’t offer anything more. If they thought to make him talk about his health, they need to do better than that. 

“Mr. Stark,” the journalist is pretty in the “if I was the past me I would bang her” way, all long legs and long legs, a predatory smile on her lips. “Are you still able to use the Iron Man suit?

There’s slight accent to her voice Tony cannot place and for a moment he thinks only about that. A gentle touch of Pepper’s hand wakes him and he blinks, and gives the audience a smile, as charming as he can muster.

“Not at this moment, no,” he settles for the safety of the truth. “Prolonged usage of the suit, over 30 minutes per day requires a certain amount of physical strength as well as health that I do not possess, not to mention some additional difficulties to overcome.”

The journalist bites her lip, looking at him expectantly. “Let me rephrase my question,” she says before Pepper can react. “Once you regain the amount of physical health required, will you fly the armour as Iron Man?”

There it goes, the question he dreaded the most, the one he’s incapable of answering even to himself alone. 

“I…” he pauses. Pepper squeezes her hand reassuringly. “The world has changed. We are yet to see whether it needs Iron Man at all.”

The murmur that goes through the crowd is much louder this time, but Pepper steps in just in time.

“Thank you very much for all the questions, sadly we cannot continue today,” she says, with a polite smile. 

Her hand on his back is leading him as they leave the room; Tony sits down heavily on the first available chair, unsure whether his body will support his weight any longer. 

Pepper kneels in front of him, resting her hands on his knees. 

“You were amazing,” she says sincerely and somehow it makes him feel better. Pepper always knew what to say. 

“And…” she hesitates. “If you still choose to be the Iron Man, I just want you to know that I will understand that. In case you were wondering.” She raises her hand and gently touches his cheek. 

“Ready to face your fans?”

Tony smiles, it comes easier than he imagine. 

“Let’s bring this show on the road,” he says and kisses Pepper. 


	3. I'll be home for Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting ready for Christmas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's May, so I seriously have no idea why I'm writing about getting ready for Christmas. This one will be two parts, with actual Christmas celebrations in the next chapter and with May Parker finally entering the stage as well.  
> Don't mind the dubious science behind all of this...

“But I cannot leave May alone for Christmas!” Peter looks genuinely terrified at this idea. Tony can’t help but snort a little at the way Peter’s voice cracks in the end of the sentence. 

Pepper, who didn’t participate in the conversation, untangling a set of Christmas lights together with Morgan, raises her head and frowns.

“What do you mean alone?” she asks, looking at Tony, who grins sheepishly. 

“Listen kid,” he says. “May has agreed to join us for Christmas celebrations back in October. I was meaning to tell you, but then I got busy…” He glances at the bionic arm that started serving him as his right hand a week ago. The pride in his eyes is clearly visible.

“Long story short, you’re both spending this Christmas here,” he finishes. “Start getting ready for Morgan’s cookies.”

Peter looks between him and Pepper for a moment, before taking out his phone.

“I just…” he hesitates. “I just, yeah, be back in sec!”

An incredulous  _ May?! Is it true?!  _ comes from hall just a moment later, causing Tony to laugh wholeheartedly. Pepper smiles happily; it’s still rare to hear him laugh so carelessly, though ever since he created a bionic arm meeting his expectations Pepper could see the flashes of real happiness more often with every passing day. 

She takes a look on her lap, where the Christmas lights got even more tangled, mostly thanks to Morgan’s actions and sighs happily. 

“Your turn,” she decides. “Either you untangle it or we’re buying new ones. And no cheating.” she adds, seeing as he reaches for his glasses. With FRIDAY’S help he’d probably had it done in few minutes.

Morgan’s head snaps up and she squints disapprovingly until Tony puts down the glasses and joins them with a sigh. 

“So, what’s the progress?” he asks and gently takes the lights from Pepper’s lap. The bionic arm hums very gently as Tony makes sure to adjust the strength of his grip accordingly. 

_ It will take me some time, _ he said the first time he put it on.  _ I need to teach myself how to use in the most efficient way. _

Five minutes later he destroyed a glass and tore a newspaper apart by a sheer accident. 

He’s getting better, thought, Pepper sees it and with every little achievement a part of her Tony is coming back, the uncertainty in his eyes not so hunting anymore. 

“Did you wrote a letter to Santa?” Tony asks while gently untying the first knot, artificial fingers moving efficiently in a precise way. 

Morgan gives him a  _ look. _

“I sent him an email,” she answers proudly. “From mommy’s phone.”

“Santa has an email now?” Tony shots Pepper a panicked look. Morgan has a history of sending weird emails after all. Pepper smiles softly and shakes her head minutely. 

“Of course, he does,” she confirms while mouthing  _ I forwarded it to you in the morning _ over Morgan’s head. 

“Okay,” Tony starts the fight with the second knot which is unlikely to end as quickly as the previous one. “So what did you ask for?”

Morgan glances at him suspiciously while effectively tying another knot.

“A kitty,” she responds finally. 

Tony’s panicked expression makes Pepper snort, before she manages to muffle the sound. 

“Any… specific kitty?” he asks, clearly thinking about a mix of 5-years old with unfortunate abilities of finding the most dangerous gadgets in a matter of seconds combined with an over-excited teenage boy with superpowers and a cat.  

“A black one,” she responds matter of factly.

Before Tony can respond Peter appears back in the room, with terrified expression.

"May said she will cook for the Christmas dinner," he announces mournfully as he sits down next to Morgan. 

"Well, uh," Tony looks at the fingers of the bionic arm for a moment, clearly figuring something out. "That was her condition, actually. She gets to make the dinner or you're not coming."

Peter groans.

"We'll be supplementing," Tonny adds helpfully and starts working on the knot again. Peter's eyes follow the gentle movements, seemingly fascinated by their decision. Pepper isn't surprised. She catches herself doing the exact same thing all the time. 

"Okay, honey," Tony leans toward Morgan. "How's going the unknotting?” 

Morgan grins, so much like her father and shows him the hopelessly tangled Christmas lights.

 

***

 

Tony insists on cleaning the dishes; for the past week he started doing everything he wasn’t able to do for the past few months, first with the stump and then with ever changing and mostly malfunctioning bionic arms. He sprays some water all around but he always did that, so Pepper just smiles, observing him with soft and happy eyes. She can hear Peter and Morgan speaking with each other and the feelings of utter peacefulness comes over her. If she could, she would save this little moment and save somewhere to be able to replay it on request. 

“A kitty, eh?” Tony flexes the mechanical fingers before taking a cloth to dry the plate. “Something tells me you have already picked our future pet.”

Pepper rolls her eyes, but reaches for the phone and searches for the photos she has saved there this morning. 

“It’s a she,” she shows Tony a picture of a tiny black cat with a single white dot on the right ear. “She’s one of four kittens, they lost their mother, most likely in car accident. She’ll be ready to live with new caregivers for Christmas.”

Tony flips through the photos with a soft smile, before putting it down.

“Peter was surprised May was invited,” he says, his voice lowered. 

Pepper shrugs. “Peter knows that May and you not always see eye to eye.”

Tony’s bionic hand forms a fist, in such natural way that Pepper looks at it, hypnotized for a moment. 

“We might have our disagreements,” Tony allows, seemingly unaware of he just did. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate or admire May… in a completely platonic, non-sexual way,” he adds hastily under Pepper’s gaze. Pepper laughs shortly but quickly sobers.

“I know it, darling,” she says. “Does Pepper or Peter knows that though?”

Tony shrugs with his left arm and sighs. 

“Don’t worry,” Pepper leans closer to him and kisses him gently on the lips. “You can work on that once May arrives for Christmas.”

“I guess,” Tony doesn’t look convinced but lets himself be lead back to the living room, where Peter jumps to his feet on his sight.

“You wanted to go through the design,” Tony says and ruffles Morgan’s hair. “You want to see it to, pumpkin?”

“Yes!” Morgan exclaims excitedly, causing Pepper to shakes her head helplessly.

In the garage, Morgan sits on the stairs as Tony opens the design of his bionic arm with a proud smile. 

“You said that all the designs had the same flaw,” Peter amplifies the fingers. “Not enough sensitivity.”

“Yes,” Tony confirms. “Normally, bionic arms are using the impulses from nerves located either below the elbow, sometimes those in your chest.” 

He puts the sketch of such design on another monitor and takes a quick look at Morgan, who yawns, somehow ostentantly. 

“You can work on your bear,” he suggests and when she nods enthusiastically he pulls a 3D design of a bear on one of the side monitors. It had to be done by Morgan herself, Peter realizes, all crooked and with only one eye. 

“Okay…” Tony quickly flicks his design in the efficient way Peter was missing more than he realized. “Those arms allows for various amounts of pre-defined settings, depending how advanced they are. None, though, would allow me to replace my hand completely or to be able to simply manage the strength of my grip without changing the settings.” He amplifies the fingers to show small spherical objects, one in each finger.

“What I needed, was a direct connection with my brain,” he flips the screen to show a picture of his brain, with similar spherical object attached to his motor cortex.

“That’s what took me all those months to design,” again he amplifies the image and extracts the object. “That, and finding a way to attach it to my brain without actually destroying it. Let me tell you, having a neurosurgeon as a friend is the most beneficial thing…”

He pauses, seeing Peter looks at him with mouth opened. 

“You’re like this,” Peter snaps with his fingers, “From that old movie… Robocop!”

Tony rolls his eyes and clears his throat. 

“Are you interested in science behind it or you’d rather stick with movies references?” He asks, with fake annoyance.

“Sorry!” Peter exclaims and takes the object to further enlarge it. “Is it possible to mass produce it?”

Tony shakes his head sadly.

“It has to be design for each brain separately. Otherwise it won’t connect at all at best and worst destroy that part of motor cortex it will attached to. I’m working on something simpler than that for mass producing, I might use your help actually, FRIDAY, send the Iron Arms design to Peter… I’m working also on fake skin that could fully imitate the real one, including ability to get warm or cold, accordingly to the temperature of the rest of the body. Still cannot get the proper feeling though.”

Tony turns to Morgan and leans toward her to whisper something into her ear. She nods her head, seriously and he moves the bear from the side screen to the main one.

“And here’s Mr. Fluffy,” Tony says, the pride in his voice much clearer now. “Morgan is working on him for the last two weeks.”

Peter simply grins in answer. 


	4. It's the most wonderful time of the year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Christmas just a day away May Parker arrives, followed by long conversations, drinking and surprises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was supposed to be fluffy, then it got angsty and now I even don't know. 
> 
> Thank you so much for all the comments and kudos!

May and Peter arrive slightly earlier than planned, announced by the sounds more resembling a dying whale than an engine. Tony thinks he should be able to fix it, if May allows it of course, could be a great test for his bionic arm, an actual job for a mechanic.

Morgan practically throws herself from his lap to the door; her excitement about having more people for Christmas is practically making the air around her vibrate. Tony follows her much slower, hesitating for a moment before he puts on the bionic arm, that laid on a table up until now. 

Phantom pain attacked him ferociously, waking him up at 4 in the morning and not lessing since then. Leaving the stump free of the prosthesis seemed to give him  at least slight relief but other than that his options are limited. The non-opiate analgesics Strange prescribed him proved useless and even made the situation worse by giving him a stomach ache and all other treatment options would require him actually going to a specialist.

Pepper is dealing with last-minute company related things and picking up the kitty for Morgan, leaving Tony alone to welcome the guests and organize the day.

He doesn't feel up to it.

Before he reaches the car, Peter has unloaded half of the truck with Morgan’s “help” and May is gathering the bags with various food items.

“Hi, May,” he says softly. He vaguely remembers that she was in hospital with Peter, while he was in too much pain to fully process the surroundings, but since then Pepper was in touch with her. 

“Tony,” May’s eyes wander from the scars on his face to the right hand. “You look… good.” Her voice is hesitant and judging by the look Peter gives him, Tony looks as bad as he feels.

He forces a smile.

“Pepper will be home late afternoon, business matters and Rhodey should swing by in the late afternoon, just for a couple of hours,” he decides to avoid the topic of his health, at least for now. “You need to survive with me until then. Let me.”

He takes the bags from May, who resits for a second, before allowing him to take them from her hand.

“Peter, you good with the rest?” It’s more of a statement than a question, a couple of bags is nothing for a Spider-Man after all. 

Morgan trails Tony and May happily, carrying a bag filled with what appears to be handmade Christmas tree decorations.

“Coffee? Tea? Wine?” Tony gestures at the kitchen. “Anything you might need is there, FRIDAY can tell you which cabinet and shelf.”

He knows he sounds rude, but his stomach just decided that a simple ache requires a companion in a form of nausea. God, he’ll need to call Strange to yell at him for prescribing him that stuff. 

“I’m fine for now,” May answers. “Peter, can you make sure that all the food is in correct places? Morgan, honey, make sure he’s not making a mess. And why don’t you show me the living room.”

Tony sighs and stands up heavily to lead her to the living room, where sits down on the closest possible surface. May’s observing him with worry.

“Peter told me you’re doing good, much better than expected,” she says slowly, sitting on the sofa. “I don’t see why he’d lie to me, but you’re looking worse than death.”

Tony sighs. “It’s generally true, I am good. Just not today. I took some painkillers that are not agreeing with me.”

May falls silent for a moment. 

“I wanted to…” she clears her throat. “Peter once accused me of not caring about your fate when I asked him to spend more time with me and told me, well, yelled at me that none of us would be here if it wasn’t for you.”

“Technically, it was Bruce Banner who brought you all back,” Tony shakes his head. He’s not particularly fond of going through all those events all over again.

May shifts in her seat.

“I was furious with you,” she confesses. “Starting with the moment I realized that the main part of the internship is actually encouraging Peter to be a Spider-Main, but I was never more angry than for a couple of years around five years ago, when Peter was supposed to get back from a field trip. Only he never did.”

She looks at him and Tony realizes he understands how she must have felt that moment. Her kid, gone without a word, while world around is turning into to a nightmare… As much as he hated putting Peter in such a risk, it was comforting to know he hasn’t been killed by one of Thanos’s minions. 

“I knew it’s connected with the alien ship and when the news exploded with information about missing Tony Stark… Well, it didn’t take me too long to add it together, even though no major TV station was going crazy over a missing teenager.”

Tony swallows, tasting the bitterness of his guilt on the back of his throat. 

“May,” he starts but she shakes his head, silencing him. 

“He didn’t come back, didn’t answer his phone and then...Then I stopped existing to wake up, confused, unsure, remembering nothing from those five years. The only thing I knew was that Peter went missing because of you.”

She glances at him, shortly. 

“I hated you this very moment. Even though I used to the thought Peter is out there, running through the city, I appreciated the fact that your technology is protecting him better than anything he could create, but this… This was too big for a teenager, he shouldn’t be fighting the big bad wolf.”

Tony stays silent, despite his desperate need to speak, to say she’s right, that he didn’t plan for him to go to the actual space, that he might have been irresponsible in the past but he’d never, ever made Peter fight Thanos if he has a choice. 

“Peter called me around an hour after I… returned. I think I yelled at him, he yelled at me. He’s very protective of you, you know. He refused to leave the hospital when you were unconscious. I tried to fight him on that, but I’m sure you know how stubborn a teenager can be.”

May sighs and turns slightly in her seat to fully face Tony. 

“I don’t agree with many things you’ve done. Both in regards to Peter and in general. I don’t think I’d be ever able to fully forgive you for dragging him all the way to Germany, while lying to my face.”

Her voice is raised by the end of the sentence and May stops herself, breathing deeply. Tony glances toward the kitchen, suspiciously silent, but if the kids are eavesdropping, they are hidden well. 

“Peter cares about you and I know you care about him and…” May hesitates. “He needs a father figure in his life.”

She extends her hand; Tony accepts it without hesitation, feeling better than he did the whole morning. 

As on a cue Morgan burst into the room.

“There are gifts in the bag!” She announces to the world. “And there is my name on them!”

Peter follows her with a sheepish smile.

“I swear, I put this bag out of her reach, but she’s like…. I don’t know, she can literally find anything she wants to find in a couple of seconds.”

Tony stands up. “Yeah, that she does. Morgan, what I told you about not searching for things but finding them anyway?”

The girl grins. “That I need to stop it or I’ll drive mom crazy.”

Tony clears his throat. “Yep, but what was the other thing I told you?’

Morgan thinks for a moment. “I don’t remember.”

May chuckles, while Tony makes a complicated whatever gesture. 

“Anyway,” he kneels down to face Morgan. “Santa Claus clearly got lost in the calendar and brought some of the gifts earlier, but it doesn’t need you’ll be opening them right now. We spoke about being patient, and that you should be like mom not dad, right?”

“Are you hungry?” Tony allows Peter to help him up, vaguely wondering when he got old enough not to be ashamed to do that. Though, he still feels unsteady on his feet. 

“I assume Peter is,” May laughs. “I’m fine but I need to steal your kitchen if we’re going to have anything to eat tomorrow. You,” she points at Morgan. “Do you want to help me?”

 

***

 

Pepper arrives around 8 PM, just in time to kiss Morgan goodnight. The whole house is filled with the smell of homemade Christmas dinner.

“Please tell me we still have some wine left,” she says, kicking off her stilettos and sinking into the welcoming embrace of the armchair. She quickly checks the content of Tony’s glass with a short glance - very obviously orange juice - and smiles to Peter, who stands up to get a glass for her.

Tony reaches to caress her feet in a lieu of welcome. He feels much better now, the stomach ache gone, the phantom pain more a slightly annoying prickle in the non-existing fingers. Pepper leans forward to touch his hand, a gentle touch and smiles accepting the glass, filled with red wine. 

May is relaxed, her cheeks slightly red, a huge grin on her face.

“We were just wondering what kind of games we could play,” she says while Peter rolls his eyes in embarrassment. “You know, with a teenager in the room.” Tony adds helpfully with a mischievous glee in his eyes, causing Peter groan out aloud. 

They end up doing a censored version of ‘Have I ever’ with Tony and Peter doing shots of orange juice and May slipping all the time, forgetting that the kid she is raising is actually in the room. In the middle of the evening tipsy Pepper decides that she wants the Christmas tree ready to be decorated for the morning, so they have more time to just be ‘christmasy’. 

Tony tries to protest, being sober and all, but there’s nothing he can deny her when her eyes get so impossibly blue, so they all go outside to search for a perfect tree, while FRIDAY is acting as a nanny in case Morgan wakes up. 

“This one?” Tony starts sounding bored after Pepper rules out the fourth tree in a row, claiming it not suitable for their purposes. 

Pepper squints her eyes, evaluating the tree for a longer moment. Despite slightly disheveled overall look and the way hardly noticeable swaying Peter once again realizes how terrifying she has to be as a business opponent. 

“I like this one,” she finally decides and smiles to Tony, only to frown a second later. “Where is the ax?”

Tony hesitates for a moment, all kinds of emotions crossing his face.

“I thought, I might… With Christmas and all...”

He sighs and presses something on his bionic arm. Pepper looks positively mesmerized as the familiar red and gold covers the arm, creating a gauntlet.

“Oh my god,” Pepper whispers, while Peter squeaks incoherently. May simply reaches out and pats it gently.

“I was wondering how it feels,’ she admits quietly.

“Pepper, honey,” Tony grabs Pepper’s hands. “I should have told you, but it’s just that, I don’t have anything else built or even designed.”

Pepper takes a deep breath. It looks like all the wine she has drunk that night had evaporated in a matter of seconds, as she stares at the Iron Man gauntlet.

When she looks up, after what felt like eternity, her eyes are serious but there’s no anger in them, just understanding. 

“Just tell me if you start working on the rest of it,” she says gently. “And now give me our Christmas tree.”

There’s a relief on Tony’s face as he gives her a smile. 

“Here it goes.”

The laser shines gold-alike in the darkness of the night as Tony cuts the Christmas tree for his family.   

  
  



	5. I do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper and Tony decide to renew their wedding vows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea for this chapter comes from a post of a lovely sharon-stark (https://sharon-stark.tumblr.com/post/184997378311/okay-but-tony-and-pepper-renewing-their-vows). I just couldn't help myself and had to write it, I hope you'll like it.

It all started with Peter going through their wedding photos and sighing desperately, until Tony asked him what’s his teenager problem for today and Peter stammering over some nonsensical lie.

Or with Morgan asking why she wasn’t a flower girl on their wedding after they finish watching a romantic comedy ( _ Honey, you were to small at that time,  _ Pepper says softly and gives Tony a strange look. _ ) _

Or maybe it started even earlier, with Tony stating that he was practically given a second chance in life so he should marry again and Pepper gently smacking him on the back of his head.

They are not sure how this madness started, but however it did, it continues like this:

 

***

 

“How could I know if you need a witness for renewing vows?” Rhodey shakes his head. “You have an AI capable of finding every single piece of information in the world and you call me when I’m in the middle of the galaxy?!”

“I’m getting married, pal, you should be more accomodating!” Tony protests indignantly. 

Rhodey’s sigh could blow off candles for 100th birthday party. At the same time. 

“Nebula, the Earth is fine!” he yells before turning back to Tony. “You already did get married. With the same person and you have continued being married with her for the last four years.”

Tony deflates, his smile turning from a slightly manic grin to something more pensive. “I know. I just… You remember our wedding.”

Rhodey nods his head slowly. They all do - a strange mix of happiness and sadness, babbling Morgan and unmissable absences at the guest table. 

“Just let me know about the date,” Rhodey says in a low voice. “I should be back to Earth soon, I will make sure to drag Nebula and the rest with me, if you want them of course..”

Tony grins in answer.

“Pepper is just working on the guest list, but this time I want there everyone. Big celebration, Stark’s style,” he notices Rhodey’s incredulous look. “I don’t mean the alcohol, Rhodey, don’t worry. Just one more thing, before you go back to supporting the mighty Guardians of the Galaxy…. I need someone to be the master of the ceremony, to welcome everyone etc. Will you agree to do that?”

Rhodey grins.

“You’ve got it, Tones.”

 

***

 

Pepper enters the room, without looking up from the screen of the pad she’s holding. 

“You just missed Rhodey,” Tony says and glances at the pad. There’s a list of names there - their guests for the wedding vows renewal. He quickly scans through the names; he knows he’ll approve anyone Pepper has put on the list, he just wants to find one name there, to make sure that there’ll be a wedding card prepared. 

He doesn’t find it. 

“Pep,” he says slowly. “Looks good, just one name is missing…Add Natasha Romanova on the list, too.”

The smile Pepper gives him is a sad one. She taps on the screen for a moment and looks up.

“She’s there.”

 

***

 

“So it’s like a second wedding with the same person?” Peter asks incredulously. “That’s so cool, it’s like saying that I love you so much that one wedding isn’t enough, can you do it more than once, will Pepper wear a wedding dress?”

“No, it’s a nice way to put it, actually, yes and yes,” Tony answers immediately. Peter gives him a confused look and Pepper chuckles from her spot on the couch.

“It’s not a second wedding, you cannot get married twice with the same person without divorcing them first,” Tony elaborates. “You can do it how many times you like, as long as you feel it makes sense, and yes, as far as I know there’ll be a dress involved.” 

“Wow, that’s great,” Peter breathes. “I had no idea you can do it.”

“Should I put Michelle as your guest?” Pepper interrupts him, still engrossed with the wedding venue plans. 

“I…” Peter looks lost for a moment. “Is that okay? I mean I thought it’s for friends and family, right, the closest people, and you saw her just a couple of times.”

Pepper smiles while Tony rolls his eyes and sighs.

“She’s important to you so by extension - to us,” she says gently. “I’m putting her on the list, and Ned as well.”

“That’s so cool,” Peter decides, his grin wider than Tony’s ever seen.

 

***

“Okay,” Pepper says, still patiently. “You don’t want pink, or blue, nor white, yellow, orange, green… Morgan, honey, you need to tell me what colour of the dress you want, I cannot keep guessing forever.”

"Why?" Morgan pouts.

Pepper sighs and kneels beside her daughter.

"Because we're playing this game for two days and I still haven't guessed. We need to start working on your dress so we both can go to the tailor at the same time and keep our dresses a secret until the big day."

"Okay," Morgan agrees. "Red and gold."

Pepper simply looks at her for a moment.

"Your daddy will love it," she says finally with a huge grin. "Red and gold it is."

 

***

The day is warm, a little too humid for Tony's liking; there's a shade of pain lurking in his battered by fate body. He swallowed a painkiller in the morning, just to make sure, but the aching is still there.

Peter is getting close to explosion; a sentiment clearly shared by Harley, who tries hard not to get excited by the events and the guest list but is failing spectacularly. 

Tony fixes his bowtie for the unpeth time only to have his hand smacked by Rhodey.

"Stop making it worse," his friend demands angrily. "I swear it looked fine before you decided to destroy it. Okay, it’s time for me, see you in a moment.”

Harley checks his watch; a gift from Tony for his latest birthday. He was made responsible for making sure they won’t run late.

"I think we need to move," he announces quickly. "Peter, you've got the wedding rings, right?"

Peter checks his pockets for what feels like an eternity before confirming that the wedding rings are still in his possession. Small, platinum bands; simple and elegant. Tony designed them himself. 

Tony exhales deeply.

Pepper is waiting for him in the lobby,  wearing an azure dress, similar to the one she bought for herself as a birthday gift an infinite amount of years before.

She's never been more beautiful than this very moment. 

She smiles brightly to him, Morgan all in red and gold next to her; she's already throwing the rose petals all around them, covering the floor with thick white and red carpet. 

“Shall we?” Tony offers his hand to Pepper, who accepts it with smile, hooking on his elbow. They enter the venue after Morgan, who’s throwing the petals with such devotion that there’s no chance they will last for the whole walk. Peter and Harley follow them, each carrying one of the wedding rings.

A quiet murmur goes through the gathered crowd. Morgan uses the interest immediately, making a quick spin she just learnt on her ballet classes and finishing it with graceful curtsey.

Rhodey awaits them at the end of the lane, having agreed to be the master of the ceremony. Tony’s smiling so broadly that his jaw starts to ache. He glances to the back and meets Peter’s eyes; the kid is positively shining with happiness.

Both his boys are, actually; Harley is smiling broadly and looking around with clear interest. Most of the guests didn’t attend the first small and intimate ceremony that took place on a rainy summer afternoon.

“Welcome everyone,” Rhodey says as they reach him. “Welcome family, friends and most importantly, welcome Pepper and Tony, who decided it’s time to renew their wedding vows. I had the honor and the luck to attend their wedding. It was a quiet and small ceremony, held in a broken world, with only few attendants.”

Tony looks around. The whole room is packed with people; many of them has fought by his side during the final battle with Thanos. Every single chair is full, apart from one in the first row, next to Bruce.

If Tony focuses he can almost see the red of Natasha’s hair, her happy smile. She would tear up, just a little bit but play it cool.

And drink them all under the table.

Rhodey clears his throat and Tony blinks and smiles, coming back to reality. 

“I wish I could say I loved you from the first sight,” Tony starts. He decided against writing down his vows - he’d go with the flow anyway. He looks into Pepper’s blue eyes and once again their beaty strike them. He wants to spend the rest of his life looking into them. “The truth is that I don’t remember our first meeting and I know how it went only because you decided to describe it to me, showing no mercy. It was, as you can imagine, horrible. During next years you survived through many horrible moments but stayed with me anyway, never failing in calling out my bull.. Eh..., my mistakes. I quickly learnt to admire that, along with your almost ruthless efficiency, intelligence and copious amounts of patience. I’m not sure when admiration turned into love. I suspect I might have loved you long years before the realization came. Both before and after the realization I’ve made a lot of mistakes and not always treated you as I should. Pepper… it’s you, it’s always been you and no one else.”

Pepper takes his both hands into hers, her eyes a little watery.

“During our first meeting you told me that you always thought that you don’t need a PA but my legs convinced you otherwise. I wanted to hate you for that but even then, all those years ago, there was a part of me that knew that it’s worth it. Tony, none of us is perfect and I want to spend the rest of our imperfect life as an imperfect me with you,” Pepper’s voice is gentle and low. Morgan is looking at them with huge eyes, while Peter tries to wipe the tears from his cheeks without anyone noticing.

“You can exchange the wedding rings now,” Rhodey announces after a short pause. His voice is slightly hoarse. Neither Harley nor Peter reacts so Tony snaps his fingers impatiently at them.

“Boys, come on, the rings.”

Everyone cheers when they exchange the rings and Tony makes sure that their kiss lasts long enough to embarrass their kids. 

 

*** 

And this is how it ends:

 

***

 

Tony sticks to water and juice, mostly, he allows himself only two glasses of champagne with silent approval from Pepper. She’s not drinking herself as well, but her eyes are bright as she takes in the people around them.

Groot is gently swaying to the music, freezing each time any of the Guardians looks at him, while Nebula keeps refusing to dance. Tony vaguely wonders when she’ll uses her blades to convince everyone she’s truly not a dancer. Wanda looks surprisingly happy, as she moves slowly through the dance floor with Clint. They are engrossed in conversation but whatever the topic is, they are both smiling.  

Carol keeps dancing with her guest, Maria, if Tony recalls correctly. They look so in love that everyone is letting them be. Tony suspects that they don’t have much time for each other, knowing how rarely Carol comes back to Earth.

Shuri and Brunhilde are drinking together from the beginning of the evening, and are currently laughing while looking between T’Challa and Thor, who’s currently speaking with Laura, with her boys completely mesmerized with the god in front of them. 

Lila and Cassie keep on giggling while Ned glances at Cassie each time she’s not looking into his direction. At least until Scott gives him a nasty look and a rather convincing gesture from where he’s sitting with Hope and the rest of van Dyne family. 

Steve and Fury are sitting together with May Parker , an unlikely companions for such an occasion but they seem to enjoy each other company. 

Bruce makes sure that the chair to his left is always empty. Natasha sat on his left during their original wedding; the only two Avengers that took part in it, with Nat breaking down and leaving the room in the middle of ceremony. He doesn’t look sad, though, more pensive.

Tony searches for his kids in the crowd.

Morgan is in the middle of the dance floor, she just switched from dancing with Harley to dancing with T’Challa. Their kid is definitely going places, not that Tony has ever doubted that. Her red and gold dress is shining in the light as she swirls through the floor. Harley stays for a moment to look at her, before turning to join Ned.

Peter is standing next to MJ, their hands almost brushing. His cheeks are slightly red and he seems to be fighting with himself for a moment, before leaning closer to her and saying something to her ear. She laughs at him, but allows him to lead her to the dancefloor where they begin swaying to the music.

“We should follow their example, Pep,” Tony says gently, taking Pepper’s hand into his. She simply nods her head in the answer.

The skin on her back is warm under his hands and she sighs, just a little bit, coming closer to him. Morgan grabs his hand just a moment later and they form a circle of three. Before Tony realizes MJ drags Peter toward them and forces to grab Morgan’s hand, while simultaneously having Harley take Pepper’s hand. They form a weird misshapen circle, the slow intimate dance turning into awkward hops, with Tony trying his best not to stomp at anyone’s foot, Pepper laughing wholeheartedly and boys torn between laughing and being embarrassed. 

Tony knows, without a doubt, that this memory will stay with him forever, whatever the future brings. 

  
  



End file.
